Low Threshold

What the score means: When a child has scores
out of the typical range for BOTH Sensory Sensitivity and Sensation Avoiding,
then it is appropriate to think about the child’s Low Threshold responses.
For families, it is easier to understand the range of responses that might
occur within a Low Threshold response pattern, i.e., sometimes being distractible
and bothered (due to Sensory Sensitivity) and sometimes withdrawing because
of being overwhelmed (due to Sensation Avoiding), rather than trying to consider
these as discreet responses.

MyaGrace’s Low Threshold score is in the ‘probably
more than others’ category. For the Low Threshold score, this means
that she responds ‘seldom’ to ‘occasionally’ to stimuli;
children her age respond less often than this, with ‘seldom’ to
‘never’ responses falling into the typical range. Since all the
cut scores on the Infant/ Toddler Sensory Profile are based on the normal
bell curve, her ‘probably more than others’ score means that MyaGrace
responds more than about 84% of her peers [i.e., those in the ‘typical’
(68%), and both ‘less than others’ (16%) categories], about the
same as 14% of her peers [i.e., all the children in the ‘probably more
than others’ category] and less than 2% of her peers [i.e., the children
in the ‘definitely more than others’ category].

How does this score fit into MyaGrace’s story:
Since MyaGrace lived in an orphanage prior to her adoption, it is possible
that her ‘probably more than others’ responses are related to
lack of early experiences. Perhaps there were fewer opportunities to experiment
with sensations in everyday life, and she needs to have more opportunities
for exploration now. Her high level of activity, need to be the center of
attention and the therapist’s observation that she notices a lot are
all consistent with Low Threshold responses. We will need to incorporate a
wide range of experiences into our intervention planning, while being careful
to provide organized sensory input so we don’t overwhelm MyaGrace. We
will also need to arm her day care provider and parents with information so
they can anticipate behaviors that might indicate she is getting overwhelmed,
and provide them with alternatives so that MyaGrace can continue to participate,
and not withdraw or become irritable. We will need to watch this area to see
if she adapts to our strategies over the next few months to see whether this
sensory processing issue becomes more manageable.